Geography
The importance of relief
The importance of relief
The relief of the concejo de Ponga is mountainous and abrupt. High peaks alternate with deep river valleys, creating great unevenness. The beauty of this contrast is revealed in the imposing white limestone rock walls that tower over the vast forested masses of the lowlands.
The stratified, fractured and weathered limestone rock is characteristic of the elevated terrain, giving way to slatey depressions in the lower areas, covered with vegetation.
The council is divided into three main líneas:
1.- Cordillera Cantábrica: To the south, it borders the province of León, separated by this stretch of the Cordillera Cantábrica. The highest point of this mountain range is Peñoso is Peña Ten, at 2141 m, which is also the highest peak of the council.
2.- Cordal de Ponga: Facing south to north, it marks the separation with the council of Caso. Its most outstanding peaks are El Abedular, Maciéndome, Tiatordos, Peña Taranes and La Llambria.
3.- Cordal del Collau del Zorru: Parallel to the Ponga range, it starts at Peña Ten and continues through Pileñes, Collau Zorru, Las Bedules, Collada Llomena and Picu Pierzu.
.Between the Ponga and Collau ranges flows the Ponga river, while to the east of the Collau range, the Sella river descends, marking the border between Ponga and the majestic massif of the Picos de Europa.
The intense erosion of the rock by the river currents has given rise to spectacular and narrow gorges with vertical walls, such as those found between Puente Vidosa and Viegu, between Puente la Huera and Viboli, that of Sobrefoz, the Foz de la Escalada in Taranes and, of course, the Beyos gorge, which accompanies the Sella for 10 km.
The two main natural passes to the Castilian plateau stand out for their historical importance: the Ventaniella pass and the Arcenorio pass. Long before the opening of the pass through Los Beyos (mid-19th century), these were the two main routes of communication to the south, favoring the development of the population centers of this area of passage.
All this, together with an Atlantic climate with mild temperatures, low winter frosts and high humidity during most of the year, makes up a unique place, rich in fauna, flora and scenic beauty, a true sample of natural life in its purest state.